Frequently asked questions

Only you can decide how much coverage you need. We typically recommend getting the highest coverage you can comfortably afford.

You can adjust your coverage at any time.

Downgrading your coverage means anything that gives you less coverage. This could include lowering your annual maximum, lowering your reimbursement percentage, or increasing your annual deductible.

You can also upgrade your coverage at any time; however, your policy would be subject to re-underwriting which is basically like getting a brand new policy. You would have new waiting periods and any accident or illness that started before your upgrade date (whether a claim was submitted and covered for it or not) would be considered pre-existing.

A bilateral condition is a condition or disease that affects both sides of the body. Some examples of bilateral conditions include hip dysplasia and cruciate ligament tears. Because a pet runs a higher risk of the same condition on the other side of the body, if a pet has a pre-existing instance of a bilateral condition, we are not able to cover the condition on the other side. However, if a pet is diagnosed with one covered bilateral condition, we will also cover the condition if it occurs on the other side.

Yes, behavioral therapy and training is covered when administered by a veterinarian for a covered condition.

Yes, breed-specific, genetic, and congenital conditions are covered by an accident and illness policy as long as the condition is not pre-existing to the policy and waiting periods.

Yes, cancer treatment is covered if the condition is not pre-existing to the policy and waiting periods. Coverage includes diagnostics and testing, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery & hospitalization, rehabilitation, and complementary therapies.

Yes, we do offer exam fee coverage as an option. Just like with human doctors – sometimes just walking into the vet’s office can cost you $50, $80, even upwards of $100. Embrace can include this fee in your reimbursement if you select exam fee coverage. Many pet insurance companies do not cover your vet’s exam fee (sometimes called an office visit fee). When a pet insurance company doesn’t cover the exam fee, it’s almost like paying an extra deductible on every single claim you file. Embrace thinks you should be reimbursed for every part of your visit, not just some of it.

Absolutely. Embrace insurance covers complementary treatments* for any covered injury or illness. Coverage for complementary and holistic veterinarians is included in your accident and illness policy at no extra charge. We do require that the treatment is for covered conditions and carried out either by a vet, or under the direct supervision of a vet. Complementary treatment coverage includes:

• Chiropractic care

• Acupuncture

• Hydrotherapy

• Therapeutic Laser Treatment

• Physiotherapy

One important thing to remember is that vitamins and herbal supplements (those that are not FDA approved for veterinary use) and complementary treatment options not associated with a covered condition are not covered under this portion of the policy, however Wellness Rewards does reimburse for them.

*Complementary treatments were previously called alternative therapies.

Pet insurance is for when the unexpected happens, so accident and illness policies do not cover preventative or routine care costs. However, Embrace also offers Wellness Rewards, an optional, non-insurance membership plan that can be purchased in addition to your pet insurance policy. Wellness Rewards reimburses for everyday veterinary, training, and grooming costs. It works like a savings account, helping you budget for your pet’s routine care expenses.

Every pet insurance plan has exclusions and the Embrace plan is no exception.Here's a summary of what's not covered:

• Pre-existing conditions

• Breeding, whelping, and pregnancy

• Injury caused deliberately by you or any other person or pet residing in your home

• Injury or illness resulting from fighting, racing, cruelty, or neglect

• Cosmetic procedures such as tail docking, ear cropping, and dew claw removal unless medically necessary

• DNA testing or cloning

• Stem cell therapy not deemed medically necessary

• Avian Flu or Nuclear War

For a complete list of exclusions see the Embrace terms and conditions.

A pre-existing condition is any injury, illness, or irregularity noticed by you or your veterinarian before the end of your waiting period, even if your pet never went to see the veterinarian for it. No pet insurance company covers pre-existing conditions.

However, Embrace does distinguish between curable and incurable pre-existing conditions. Examples of incurable pre-existing conditions include diabetes, allergies, etc. Curable pre-existing conditions include things like ear infections and undiagnosed vomiting or diarrhea. As these issues can be completely cleared up, they could be covered moving forward if the pet goes 12 months symptom free.

We define what conditions are pre-existing for your pet by requesting their medical records for the 12 months (or less, if they are a new addition) prior to the purchase of the policy. If you’d like, you can request that we do a Medical History Review, which involves one of our claims adjusters reviewing your pet’s medical records to let you know what – if any – conditions would be considered pre-existing. It’s important to note that we don’t automatically do these medical history reviews, you must request one. However, they are free of charge and available to anyone who has a policy.

The annual deductible is the amount you are responsible for before reimbursements start. Like most types of insurance, you are responsible for part of the cost. Our deductible is annual, which means you only have to meet your deductible once per policy term – not every vet visit, or once for every different type of condition, which is how some pet insurance companies operate.

No. Only charges for covered accidents and illnesses are applied to your deductible. Routine care/preventative care items (such as vaccinations, spay/neuter, heartworm/flea/tick preventative, etc) are not covered by the insurance policy, making them ineligible to be applied toward your deductible.

Your annual limit is the most Embrace will reimburse, after you meet your deductible, in a policy year.

No. You may have heard terms like “Schedule of Benefits” or “Usual, Customary, and Reasonable Standard (UCR)” when researching pet insurance. In layman’s terms, these are lists of what certain pet insurance companies think vets should charge for treatment, and they only reimburse you for what THEY think you should have been charged. Embrace doesn’t believe in using any of these tactics. We reimburse you based on a percentage of your vet bill.

A reimbursement percentage or rate is the portion of the vet bill you’ll get back after you meet your deductible. One way to look at a reimbursement percentage is to think of it as the opposite of a copay. For example, if you have an 80% reimbursement percentage, that’s like having a 20% copay. You pay 20% of the bill. Embrace pays 80%.

Embrace calculates claim reimbursements by first subtracting the deductible and then taking off the copay, so you get the most back.

No. There is only an annual maximum, which you're able to choose.

Yes, policy premiums do increase over time for a few reasons. There are several factors that can affect premiums, including:

• The pet getting older

• Increases in veterinary costs

• Changes in overall trends in the pet population

A medical history review is something you can request if you have concerns about pre-existing conditions. Typically, your pet’s medical records are reviewed at the time of the first claim, but Embrace’s claims adjusters are happy to do it early at your request.

Request a free medical history review after your policy purchase. If you don’t like what we find, you can cancel your policy, and you'll receive a pro-rated refund of the unused premium.

For more information, visit our Medical History Review details page.

To complete the medical history review and to process claims, Embrace requires medical history for your pet from any vet they visited in the 12 months before the policy start date. If your pet is a puppy or kitten or recently adopted and doesn’t have 12 months of records, we need all medical history for any visit they’ve had while in your care. The medical history we require includes doctor's and/or chart notes in which the vet has recorded examination findings, pet’s health status, and test results.

If your pet did not have a visit in the 12 months leading up to enrollment, they must have a full physical exam within the first 14 days of the policy. Along with the notes from that visit, any additional medical history you have from the 12 months prior to the policy (if received from the breeder/shelter/rescue) should also be sent in. If you do not have any additional medical history, that is fine.

Pets who are too old (15 years or older) for full accident and illness coverage can be covered by an accident-only policy. Coverage for this policy includes, but is not limited to:

• Bloat

• Foreign body ingestion

• Getting it by a car

• Poisoning

• Cuts and lacerations

• Etc.

An Embrace accident-only policy reimburses you up to $5,000 each year. There is a $100 deductible you pay once per year, and then you're reimbursed 90% of your veterinary bills. These parameters can't be changed.

There are three allowance options for Wellness Rewards reimbursement:

• $300 allowance per policy year

• $500 allowance per policy year

• $700 allowance per policy year

No. You can use your Wellness Rewards plan for any allowable product or service up to your annual allowance.

No. Wellness Rewards is not currently available for standalone purchase. You must be an Embrace Pet Insurance policyholder to purchase Wellness Rewards.

Items that can be reimbursed via Wellness Rewards include, but are not limited to:

Wellness exams, Vaccinations & titers, Flea, tick, & heartworm medication, Spay/neuter surgery, Fecal exams, Routine blood tests, Microchipping, Umbilical hernia repair, Gastropexy, Toenail trimming, Routine anal gland expression, Routine chiropractic care, reiki, massage therapy, acupuncture, Teeth cleaning & dental illness, Prescription diet food purchased at your veterinarian, OFA & PennHIP exams and X-rays, Nutritional supplements, Medicated shampoos, Behavioral/obedience/specialty training, Pet activity monitors, Grooming, Cremation/burial, Etc.

PawSupport is a 24/7 pet help line providing instant, real-time access to Pet Pros. Headquartered in Cleveland, OH, PawSupport is a new solution for pet telehealth. PawSupport provides pet parents the opportunity to ask questions about their pet's behavior, wellness care, training, symptoms, and even receive guidance in emergency situations.

PawSupport is available to provide decision support to pet parents who are looking for guidance on when, where, and how to use healthcare resources appropriately. Decision support is a way of assessing your pet's situation and deciding together if a vet visit is needed and how soon. Topics include wellness care, behavioral changes, and training.

PawSupport is unable to diagnose a condition or prescribe medications or treatment.

Yes, a Pet Pro is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. On average, 90% of chats are answered in 2 minutes or less.

PawSupport will begin by collecting your pet's basic information and the reason for your chat. The Pet Pro will then help you make a decision for your pet's care. PawSupport staff does not have access to your pet's veterinary records, policy information, or claim data.